There is something wrong with the Dodgers

 

 

There is undoubtedly a problem with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the last out of the 9th inning and a perfect game on the line, Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up a home run to Jackson Holiday, and behold, Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager, put in Blake Treinen, who managed to load the bases. In comes Tanner Scott, the ever-so-ineffective closer of the team. He also blew a save the previous night.

 

I am actually quite speechless because Yoshinobu Yamamoto deserved better. In my mind when I saw Yamamoto give up the home run, I had the sense of thinking that maybe it was a better idea to leave Yamamoto in the game. Well, it was one out, and he was already over 110 pitches, but it may have been a better idea to possibly leave him for one more out, knowing that the bullpen has been struggling lately.

"Struggling" may not be the word to perfectly describe what the Dodgers have been going through, but it is downright embarrassing, resulting in a five-game losing streak. What hurts the most is that Yoshi, the starting pitcher, was only one out away from pitching a perfect game. And when he allowed the home run, it was okay because they were still leading when he left the game by two runs. There was no excuse for the bullpen to ruin such a gem of a performance by their ace. 

 

 

The Dodgers find themselves hovering. With a game lead against the San Diego Padres, who themselves are struggling and also going through a five-game skid. If the trend continues and the San Francisco Giants keep winning while the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers keep on losing, in all oddity, the San Francisco Giants still have a chance to come back into contention. As of now the San Francisco Giants are five games back from a wild card spot, five games behind the San Diego Padres. It's a long way, but if the Giants keep winning eight games out of 10 while the Dodgers and the Padres keep on losing, it would be quite a miraculous comeback from their longtime rivals, the Giants.

 

As of now, this evening while I'm writing this article, on September 6th, 2025, there are only 20 games left in the regular season. If the Dodgers are to hang on to their NL West lead, they have to put up a couple of wins in these upcoming movies. It's going to be a close one.